


what a precious basket case

by astridgracee



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Adopted Children, Adopted Sibling Relationship, Adoption, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Awkward Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Complete, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Protective Older Sibling Wilbur Soot, Sad Wilbur Soot, Scared TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Self-Doubt, Self-Esteem Issues, Suicidal Thoughts, TommyInnit Has ADHD (Video Blogging RPF), TommyInnit-centric (Video Blogging RPF), Wilbur Soot and Technoblade and TommyInnit are Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-17 20:34:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29847123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astridgracee/pseuds/astridgracee
Summary: in which tommy runs away from home and his family's lives fall apart without him(sleepy boys inc adoption au)
Relationships: Technoblade & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Toby Smith | Tubbo & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit & Phil Watson, Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & TommyInnit & Phil Watson
Comments: 49
Kudos: 765





	1. Escape

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Too Far](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27719758) by [leggyman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/leggyman/pseuds/leggyman). 



> trigger warning for self-deprecation bordering on suicidal and brief references to alcoholism and abuse

Tommy had taken his sweet time in settling into his home, slowly building up trust with the people he now considered his brothers and father. He had become completely reliant on them, unable to stop himself from falling into a joking argument with Will daily or hugging Phil everytime he got home from work or playing Minecraft with Techno until unhealthy hours. They were his family all of a sudden and he didn't ever want to leave their side.

After a year in his home, he had become familiar with the wooden floors and kitchen tiles and the way you could hear voices echoing from the living room if you sat at the top of the stairs. He knew it because it was his home, his family, his life. He was so used to the area that he didn't think he would ever be prepared for a day that he would have to leave (hopefully he'd never have to)

But obviously, Tommy being himself, he had to fuck it up. ( _He was a failure, a waste of space, a disappointment_. The words his brain threw at him were so familiar, the very same ones he'd heard from countless other people over the years.)

It had just been a joke. For once, he felt secure in his position in the family and safe enough to joke around without being afraid of being hit or scolded or worse (the thought of being sent back was so much worse than a broken rib).

He had taken Will's guitar because his personality was ninety percent joking and fucking around but he hadn't expected Wilbur to collapse into an anxiety riddled mess in the floor, hyperventilating and sobbing for his brother.

(Tommy knew he wasn't the one Will called for, knew he was probably not even considered the brother in the eyes of his foster family.)

Techno had raced down the stairs with wrath burning in his blue eyes, rage directed at the fourteen year old standing over his twin's shaking form holding the one object that could break Wilbur. Techno had snapped at him, promising a world where Tommy was sent back if he didn't drop the fucking guitar and go up to his room.

Tommy couldn't breathe when he ran upstairs, could barely see through the cloud of tears. He had been an idiot for thinking he could stay, for thinking he deserved the kind of love Techno showed Wilbur. He couldn't compete with a family that didn't care for him the same way he did for them and he was weak for ever relying on them.

He shoved clothes into his school backpack, packing items he knew he needed because he'd done this before, he'd been kicked around enough to know when his time was up. He'd pushed them too far and he wasn't sticking around to see what Techno would project that venomous rage onto after he helped Wilbur. The money he hastily shoved into his bag was everything he'd been saving, every penny intended for this exact purpose, for the moment when he'd have to run because they were sick of him.

His hands were shaky when he texted Tubbo, saying he'd be offline for a few days and he'd text him when he was back on his phone. (Tommy had never been more grateful that Christmas break had arrived than in that moment). Tommy took one last look around his room, tears still streaming down his face, saying goodbye to the space he thought he belonged. He'd been too dead set on forever, he hadn't considered anything past adoption and now he was paying the price with the heart-breaking agony that filled his chest.

He slid open the window of his room, not wanting to risk seeing Techno and get hurt. He clambered outside and hopped down from the roof, wincing as his ankle nearly gave out.

(Some part of him screamed that Techno wouldn't hurt him, that they were brothers but the other parts couldn't move past the rage and the sound of Wilbur whimpering on the cool kitchen tiles.)

Tommy looked back at the place he'd called home, tears slowing slightly before turning his back and doing the only thing he was good at.

He fucking ran.

* * *

Phil supposed his family wasn't perfect. He knew in his heart they weren't at all what a functional and healthy group of people looked like, but he liked to forget due to overwhelming pain that came with realising they weren't actually that great as a stable relationship example. 

When he walked through the front door of the home he shared with his three sons, he expected to be greeted by a yell from Tommy before he would sprint downstairs, headset dangling around his neck as he hurtled towards Phil for a hug. 

The utter silence that echoed through their home was eerie and severely out of character for his son. 

It was when he saw Techno standing at the door of the kitchen, looking so heartbroken that Phil's breath was stolen and he couldn't bring himself to use the remaining air to ask the painful question that rose in his mind. He walked over to his boys, trying to assess the situation and see if anyone had been hurt. When he saw Wilbur lying, back to the wall, his guitar discarded on the floor beside him, he assumed Will's apathy was the reason behind Techno's sadness. 

When he neared his son though, he was greeted by red rimmed eyes and a mouth that quivered to prevent the flow of tears. His guitar had been thrown to the side like an afterthought and in his palm, his phone rested, eyes fixated on the screen as though it contained vital information. 

"Boys." Phil's voice was restrained to hide the innate fear that rose in him, every part of his brain was yelling about his youngest, questioning why his loud presence hadn't been revealed yet.

"What happened?" 

* * *

Tommy supposed a benefit to having ran away in the past was that he knew the streets of San Francisco very well. He knew which back alleyways to hide down if he saw a bunch of shady men and where to buy cheap food that would last him whatever journey he took. He spent a few dollars on food, grabbing bags of crisps, water bottles and a collection of different sweet items that would keep him sustained for longer periods of time. His mind told him what to buy, ensuring he didn't buy anything with too much sugar in case he crashed but just enough that he wouldn't be falling asleep constantly. All the while he was checking out his surroundings carefully, terrified of being caught and sent home and having to face Wilbur's sadness, Techno's anger and Phil's disappointment. Most of all, he was terrified of them admitting they were sick of him and sending him back to the group home where he would be beaten up and alcohol would only fuel the rage of his carers more.

When he left the shop, he shoved the items into his bag along with his money, keeping out a ten dollar note for the bus ticket. He didn't know where he was going but he knew he was of less risk of getting caught if he wasn't still in the city, so he boarded the mode of transport with his hood pulled around his face, clutching his bag with shaking hands. 

When he reached his destination, he practically ran off the bus, the sun having set in the sky. He was absolutely exhausted so the first vaguely dry alley he saw, he lay down in, shivering a little. His routine was the same as it had been when he'd been homeless before, he folded leftover cardboard boxes to create a makeshift shelter around him to protect him from the elements. 

When he settled down, his gaze was drawn to his phone. He restarted the device, wincing when he saw the countless missed calls and messages. He ignored the seemingly endless amount of notifications, instead clicking into the Discord app to speak to the one person who could make him feel grounded.

“Big T!” Tommy's voice rang with authentic joy, the sound echoing through the alley in a way he hoped his mic didn't pick up. 

“Tommy! What's going on, are you taking a break for a few days or something?” Tommy recalled his vague message to Tubbo and winced, having to come up with an excuse.

“Yeah, it's Christmas holidays with the family so I'll be stuck in limbo without my phone for a little while.”

Tubbo hissed through his teeth, the sound familiar to Tommy, “That sucks Big Man, just stay in contact when you can. I'll definitely see you when we're back in school.”

All of a sudden, Tommy could hardly breathe because by running away, he'd successfully deprived himself of schooling and a home and he was so fucked. 

“Yeah, can't wait Big Man.” 

Tubbo went quiet for a minute, listening to the call intently, "Tommy, are you okay? Are you outside or something? The rain sounds pretty loud."

Tommy's voice was breaking when he spoke, "I'm fine Tubso, I just wanted to check in before I logged off for a bit." 

"Tom? Tom, wait what's going on-?" 

Tommy ended the call and released the sob that had been building in his throat. He was screwed, he didn't know what to do. Where could he even go, no one would want a homeless teenager on their doorstep begging for shelter around Christmas. It was literally the opposite of a desirable situation. 

He was a mess, a mess that was crying for everything he'd fucked up and the family that he missed so much despite how much he'd screwed up.

He would always miss them, he decided while curled up to retain heat, but it was for the best. They were better off without him anyway. 

* * *

Techno was panicking. It wasn't often that something threw him so off kilter that his anger issues came in to play and the medication wasn't enough to restrain him. He had control, or at least he had a semblance of it before he'd heard his twins broken voice calling him with a note of such desperation that every instinct in him screamed protect. 

(Techno hadn't thought about the consequences of protecting Wilbur at the expense of his younger brother.)

Tommy had been standing over Will, guitar clutched in shaking fingers but Techno hadn't looked at Tommy, he was focused on his brother who he was supposed to protect that was lying on their kitchen floor having a panic attack.

So he had snarled at Tommy, demanding the item to be returned and listing threats if he didn't drop the fucking guitar immediately. He knew he was utterly fucked as soon as he started speaking, using threats he knew would hurt Tommy, but he did it for Wilbur. He used secrets that were whispered at midnight after Tommy had a nightmare to break the pride his brother had built up and he didn't think of the consequences. He had let Tommy see the burning rage in his eyes and ignored the past he knew was behind his adoptive brother. 

When Wilbur’s breath evened out and all of a sudden, the utter silence hit them so did the thoughts of their younger brother who was unnaturally silent. Normally after a fight, you could hear him ranting on a call with Tubbo, cursing out his siblings but forgiving them as soon as they offered to play a game of Bed Wars with him. 

Techno had gone upstairs expecting to find a sullen Tommy curled up in the corner of his room but instead was greeted by empty bedside drawers, school items thrown on the floor and a window that was swinging open and shut with the biting wind, taunting him. Wilbur had started to cry when he saw an open box in Tommy's bed, one that he informed Techno with his shaky voice, had held all of Tommy's life savings, a grand total of five hundred dollars. 

They returned to the kitchen and Wilbur sat on the floor once more, this time sending frantic messages to Tommy asking him where he went and whether he wanted Wilbur to pick him up. 

Techno couldn't breathe for a bit while they sat in silence. It was his fault, he had gone too far, he had done too much and now Tommy was gone and he could be in danger or a million other things could be happening and Techno wouldn't know.

Phil had returned home from work later than usual, greeting his sons with a bright smile until he noticed the fact that everything felt a little off. Through tears, Wilbur explained and Phil had never looked more devastated.

(Techno knew in his mind exactly why. Phil knew that Techno was well aware of what he was saying to Tommy, knew what buttons he was pushing. Phil had been so happy they were getting along, that they were building up trust between the three of them and Techno had screwed them all over.)

Their search started with simple text messages to Tommy's friends and their parents, but as the hours passed and the sky darkened as the sun set, genuine fear began to set in.

They had been seated in silence for a while, checking to see if Tommy's location was on and whether his emergency card had been used anywhere yet. Techno had just been checking his messages once again when he noticed the green glow that meant Tommy was online. 

His heart nearly stopped, his voice low when he spoke, blessing the predictability of his brothers actions, "He's online on Discord."

Will’s voice was confused, eyes glancing up from his device to meet Techno’s gaze, "Why? He's hardly going to talk to us, he ran away."

Techno's stare was drawn to the other icon on his screen, just below Tommy's. The green background and little bee that flew across the avatar. 

Techno was dialling the boys number before his family even clocked what was going on. If there was a single person who Tommy would talk to no matter the situation, his very best friend would be number one. 

"Tubbo, where is he?" 

* * *

It had been two weeks since Tommy had run away from home. Since then, he's avoided busy streets and police officers, living under bridges and in dark alleyways. He was already used to the dull ache of hunger that taunted him, but he couldn't bring himself to waste a single dollar on sustenance, he'd eat when he needed it, the slight tugging in his stomach wasn't enough motivation. 

He was dizzy all the time and his moments where he stood in the pouring rain had less than satisfactory results, he'd ended up shivering in front of the weak flames he managed to light. He was unwell and weak and everytime his mind fluttered back to the family he'd run away from, he hid from the vivid memories. He wasn't ready to think about them or what he'd lost. 

He had been lying on the cardboard listening to the rainfall since the sun rose early in the morning, the pounding in his head irrevocably painful. He winced when he sat up, realising that he should probably get some liquid and food into him. He'd had a bottle of water yesterday and a granola bar, an unhealthy balance that left him empty.

He stood, pulling his backpack up to his back, ensuring the zip was firmly closed and that his hoodie was wrapped around his neck to prevent further illnesses from developing. He moved from his spot where he'd been hiding beneath the balcony of a stranger, the steps providing a shelter for him in the weather. He nearly slipped a few times on the way down, making his way out onto the busy street. 

Over his time in the city, he'd quickly realised that rain wasn't enough of a deterrent for the citizens, there was still a considerable amount of people rushing along the sidewalk clutching bags and phones in their hands. 

He knew the street well enough to notice the disturbance opposite him immediately. Someone was separating the crowd, likely another deeply religious person who believed the way to spread the word of God was through forced learning. Tommy walked seamlessly through the crowds, searching for the cause of the disruption. 

His heart nearly stopped when instead of a random man clutching copies of the Bible to his chest, he was met with the sight of two distraught teenagers, bags under their eyes, waving photos of him at strangers and wincing everytime they were greeted with the shake of a head. 

He didn't know how to breathe anymore when dark brown eyes fluttered towards his steadfast form, the familiar gaze of his brother focusing on him once more.

* * *

Wilbur was struggling. Not only with the overwhelming anxiety cursing him, but also the guilt of accidentally being a direct cause of his little brother running away. He hadn't exactly planned to have a panic attack, but his heart had started racing once he saw his guitar being pulled away from him, his mind pulling him back to a time when he'd watched the instrument being torn to splinters against the hard stone floor. 

He had just been afraid and when his breathing finally slowed and his heart rate calmed, he was pulled into an embrace by his brother (not the one he was expecting though). He searched over a pink haired scalp for the tall figure of the youngest in the family. He remembered Tommy's terrified face and shaking hands and wanted to apologise for frightening him. 

"Where's Toms?" Wilbur's voice was weak and so were his legs as he struggled to stand, but he limped up the stairs with his brother holding him upright because his heart was screaming at him that the silence was unnatural and inherently flawed. 

In his life, he'd only felt such horror once before, when his precious guitar had been broken apart before him and the wooden splinters had dug into his palms. The sight of Tommy's ransacked room and the bright red box on his bed being empty struck him with a fear he'd never quire reached the level of. 

( _He remembered two months into Tommy's stay, when the other boy was still apprehensive and scared but so painfully himself that Wilbur told him stories of a time where he'd felt the same uncertainty. Tommy had trusted him completely and shown him a bright red lunchbox, filled with ten dollar bills and spare change. Tommy told him of all the money he'd kept and squirrelled away in case he ever felt unsafe enough in a home that he would spend it to get away. Wilbur had hugged him close and promised that this home would be his last, this family a permanent one._ )

The sight of the red box open and empty caused bile to rise in Wilbur's throat. Tommy had felt so uncomfortable in their home that he had left and with that amount of money, he could be going anywhere. Wilbur wondered if his panic had caused that fear, but when he looked up and saw Techno with his shivering form and searching gaze he knew something had happened while he was dazed.

Wilbur had stumbled back down to the kitchen, refusing Techno's aid and ignoring the guitar on the floor, staring at his phone intently, watching as every message went from sending to delivered, never being read. He was shaking violently, hoping beyond hope that Tommy would walk through the door grinning with Tubbo by his side, over the situation and ready to force them to watch Up. 

Phil came home wearing a smile that quickly faded as Wilbur's worst fears became reality. He texted everyone he knew, posting on his social media accounts begging for help. He spent the few days afterwards expecting to see Tommy huddled in an alleyway in their small area on the outskirts of San Francisco. He searched the streets, calling out for the brother he missed more with every passing moment. Techno remained by his side like a ghost through it all.

Fourteen days went by painfully slowly, every waking moment spent on the lookout. He forgot to eat until Techno set a plate out in front of him and rarely slept, only laying silently by his brother who was taunted by nightmares of their youngest out alone on the streets. 

(Wilbur tried to avoid thinking about what could be happening but when he started sobbing at the thoughts at the forefront of his mind, Techno always stirred and pulled him a little closer, his own whispers of comfort drawn from beliefs he didn't share, promising that Tommy was okay even if his broken voice told a different story.)

They had been in the city centre a few times over the weeks, searching all the whole to no avail. Phil was left at home to ensure that if Tommy returned, someone would be there. Wilbur and Techno alone ventured into the bustling crowds, Wilbur's silver tongue finally useful as he tried wheedling information out of strangers. 

The rain falling on him was barely a distraction, but a particularly piercing gaze from across the square finally drew his attention away from his search. 

He had never seen a sight as devastating as the picture that would be burned into his retinas for all time, one of his brothers standing entirely still, shoulders taut and eyes wide. He was poised to bolt, but the way he swayed on his feet told Wilbur enough about the younger's health that he walked slowly towards him. 

"Will, what-?" Techno stopped his question when he saw the far-too skinny figure watching them with haunted blue eyes and messy hair. 

_Tommy, Tommy, Tommy._

Wilbur's mind was chanting the name of his brother as he quickened his pace, terrified the younger would run away and he would lose him again.

Tommy was shaking by the time Wilbur reached him and pulled him into a tight hug, Wilbur's tears immediately falling as he broke into sobs. He could scarcely hear Tommy speak over his own panicked cries but what he managed to catch only sent him into spiralling choked apologies and promises. 

"- _please don't send me back, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, just don't give me away, I'll be better, I'll do better please. I can't go back, just let me go_ -" 

Wilbur sobbed in the middle of the street clutching the dirty red and white t-shirt clad boy that wore his brother's face but was slightly too drawn, bones too pronounced, eyes stained with red lines. He held his too-skinny brother close, the boy holding him just as tightly and his other sibling breaking his steadfast facade for a moment to cry because they were so worried and he was okay and the relief was overwhelming in the moment. 

Wilbur didn't think about what would happen when they went home, only thinking about how the hammering of his brother's heart was such a beautiful sound because it meant he was alive.


	2. Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tommy is home and he's struggling, even when his family try and reassure him

All Tommy could think about was what they would do when they reached home. Wilbur had hugged him close when he'd found him, probably relieved they wouldn't get in trouble for losing him. He had thought he saw Techno's eyes rimmed with red but it was probably a mistake on his part. _They didn't care_ and he knew that, so he spent the car ride in sullen silence, watching them with a sharp gaze to ensure they didn't try anything like going off route and dropping him straight at the group home. 

( _He wondered if they would send him back immediately or if they'd let him believe he was safe with them before packing his things and smiling as they watched him being dragged out the door._ ) 

He didn't want to be sent back but it was inevitable, they couldn't care about him and he'd misbehaved. His mind delved into thoughts of his life before the Watson's, frantic thoughts reminding him how to cover up bruises and stitch up wounds caused by glass wine bottles so he wouldn't develop an infection. He was going back to that life, he had already lived that life and yet still somehow let himself believe that his situation was permanent. 

(He'd let himself fall in love with the idea of a constant support system even though he knew he didn't deserve a single good thing.)

When they pulled up at the house he thought he could call home, terror rose in him, the uncontrollable shaking of his hand not caused by happiness as it usually was, instead the movement was driven by fear. 

Techno got out of the car first, walking over to Tommy's door and opening it for him. (He was probably trying to make sure he didn't bolt, Tommy's mind told him, and he shied away from the other boy even though they were the same height.)

They walked into the house and Tommy instantly noticed Phil seated in the kitchen, head in his hands, his pose reminiscent of what Tommy's social worker normally looked like when she watched him return to the group homes for the millionth time. As if he sensed Tommy's gaze, he looked up and stood rapidly, attempting to walk over to the boy. Tommy froze, looking around at the people who he no longer felt safe with and bolted upstairs. 

Once he reached his room, he locked the door behind him, collapsing into a sobbing mess on the floor. Everything was such a mess and he didn't know how to figure out whether people were being authentic. 

(The sheer exhaustion and yet sudden euphoria in Phils eyes when he saw him looked so real but Tommy's mind reminded him how much he'd messed up and he chose to neglect the genuine emotions he'd glimpsed.) 

Tommy was sitting with his back against the door, looking around the familiar space, the mess he'd left in his hurry to leave cleaned over the weeks he was away. His heart ached at the sight of the comforting area, weary eyes taking in the clothes Phil had bought him, the discs Wilbur had gifted him and the matching set of knives Techno had handed down to him. This was his home, no matter what happened in the future, he would remember this space as the area where he felt safest.

"Tommy, family meeting or whatever in the kitchen right now." Wilbur's voice sounded from outside the door and Tommy shivered at the implication of it being their decision whether to send him back now or later. He stood on shaky legs, vision darkening at the side from his dehydration and starvation. 

He walked to the top of the stairs, stopping momentarily to catch his breath and relax. From the kitchen, the sound of voices drifted up to him where he stood. 

"We have to try, Phil, he's dying and it's my fault."

"How do we tell him something like that after all this?" 

"It's not either of your faults, sometimes things happen regardless of good intentions."

He squeezed his knuckles tightly shut, nails digging into his palm with force. He couldn't talk, his voice lost in the sea of confusion he was drowning in. He stumbled down the stairs, trying not to draw attention to himself but failing when his adoptive parent immediately looked up at him. This time, Phil remained seated but his knuckles whitened where they were clasped together and a pained expression covered his face. 

Gingerly, Tommy pulled a chair out and sat at the table, feeling like his family were the judge, jury and executioner sentencing him to suffering. He kept his gaze firmly fixated on the table and tried to stop the involuntary shudders that wracked his body. 

He was totally fucked, a fact which was reiterated when Phil spoke in his stupid parent voice. 

"We need to talk." 

* * *

Techno had envisioned Tommy's return as a thing of relief and happiness, had imagined his young brother revealing that he had been staying with someone while he was away and spitting out anecdotes about the state of worry they'd been in. 

Instead he was greeted by the sight of a malnourished child who flinched at Wilbur's gaze, one who avoided Phil's embrace when before he would have welcomed it. He saw what he had done and he never wanted to let Tommy out of his sight again for fear of what the other might do.

Techno wanted to walk away, to pick a fight with a stranger and get out the overwhelming pain inside him using his fists. He couldn't concentrate on Phil's voice as he spoke calmly to Tommy, green eyes watching his youngest son like a hawk. 

When he finally tuned back in, successfully getting the images of bloodstained teeth and torn knuckles out of his mind, he heard Phil's final statement. 

"-we want to help you, whatever you need. Just please promise you'll never fucking run away again, I don't think my heart can handle that shit."

The utter disbelief in Tommy's eyes shattered Techno's heart more than he thought it would have. He didn't think a simple expression would have the power to destroy him so utterly, but the wide blue eyes blurring with tears struck him with a sadness he would always remember. 

"You're not going to send me back?" The weak voice wasn't like his brother, the strong tone he normally bore nowhere to be found in his shrunken form. Techno averted his eyes from the younger, cursing himself because _this was his fault._

Wilbur's brows furrowed and Techno could see how he had to visibly swallow to prevent crying, "Prime no, of course not Toms. You're family and we're so sorry for what happened." 

Tommy seemed to shrink into himself further, "It's nothing to be sorry for, it was my fault, I was just being annoying and useless like always. I'm _sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry_ -" 

"Stop apologising." Techno's gravelly tone hid the pain that resided in his heart. Tommy's gaze jumped to his with a fear that was rooted in his more recent memories of Techno threatening abandonment. 

(Techno was his brother, Techno was family, _Techno was mad_.)

* * *

Wilbur supposed he didn't need to breathe that badly. From the moment he glimpsed Tommy on the sidewalk, the oxygen he supposedly needed had been stolen and yet somehow he hadn't died yet and was still living in a world where his baby brother had run away from home and been living on the streets for weeks. 

He watched Tommy with bated breath after Phil spoke and his lungs contracted after Tommy's uncertain question. He rushed to assure the younger boy, only to be stopped by hurried apologies and curled shoulders. Tommy was terrified of him. 

(What the fuck had he done?)

Wilbur stared at Tommy, eyes watering and soul crushed by the utter helplessness he felt. Wilbur stood slowly, keeping his hands where Tommy could see them, walking over to where the young boy sat. He kneeled in front of him, palms out, silently questioning Tommy with his eyes. 

Tommy only managed to hold his steadfast expression for a split second before he crumbled, hands interlocking with Wilbur's and head falling forward to rest directly on his shoulder, long hair tickling Wilbur's chin. 

" _I'm just so scared_ , because I know you probably want to send me back but I don't want to go. I think I'll miss you all so much, prime I have missed you for the past few weeks. _I love you_." The apologetic tone in Tommy's voice and the sheer desperation when he confessed his emotions sent Wilbur into sobs once more. 

He put his hand on the back of Tommy's neck, fingers curling into his hair like he had when the other boy had arrived and woken up crying from nightmares every night. Wilbur brought their foreheads together, glassy eyes meeting Tommy's cerulean blue. 

"I love you too Toms, so much. We're never going to let you go, you are family." 

* * *

Phil didn't cry once in front of his boys when Tommy disappeared. He didn't let them see the silent sobs that wracked his frame when they left during the day to search for Tommy. He cried because he failed, because he had been entrusted with this broken boy and he'd promised to give him a home. 

He hadn't seen the cracks, hadn't registered that maybe Tommy wasn't feeling entirely secure in his position in the family yet, and so he felt completely blindsided when Wilbur informed him that Tommy had taken his own secret cash fund in case of emergency and ran. Tommy had been saving up money in case he needed to escape and Phil couldn't fathom for the life of him how he hadn't realized how truly fucked it was. 

He cried everyday, shaking hands barely able to comfort his sons when they were home, his body rendered useless when he couldn't see through his tears and he desperately craved the hugs he'd grown reliant on from his son. 

When Techno and Wilbur had walked through the door with his aforementioned son walking hesitantly behind them, he'd longed for that hug so much that he reached out for that familiar comfort. He'd been greeted by wide eyes and a blur of red as Tommy turned tail and sprinted upstairs, the slam of his door along with the sound of broken sobs ringing in Phil's ears. 

( _He hadn't been useful before, so he needed to fix it now_.)

So he sat down, ignoring the sounds reaching a cacophony as they rang in his ears, and made a plan. He reassured his children that things would be okay and figured out what to do and when Tommy stumbled downstairs, malnutrition evident in his shaky steps, he restrained himself from hugging the boy close and never letting go. He talked and explained with kindness, watching as his words softened Tommy's tense expression and body language. 

He watched as Tommy panicked and his eldest fell to his knees, pulling the boy close and begging him to be okay. 

Phil let the tears run down his face, heart breaking for what had happened, for what his sons had to deal with, for not seeing in the first place, for being painfully useless where he remained frozen in his chair. He cried for his family that was barely sticking together, silent tears met by a handhold from Techno and panicked gazes from Tommy and Wilbur both. 

"I'm sorry." Phil's broken tone wasn't soft as his words had been, the three syllables all sharp edges and heart wrenching honesty. Tommy had stood up, hands pulled away from Wilbur, his slight body colliding with Phil's with the force of all the power of an underweight teenager. Phil had restrained his tears, Tommy's cries grounding him in the present, and he had cradled his son in the hopes that it would somewhat make up for his failures.

* * *

After their climatic family meeting, the family had split up into separate rooms to deal with the onslaught of emotions. Phil had gravitated towards his bedroom, plans to send messages to various others who'd expressed concern shared when Tommy watched him with panicked eyes. 

(Tommy was still scared that Phil was calling his social worker, but Wilbur's soft smiles and Techno's assurances relaxed him.)

Wilbur had disappeared to his bedroom, tears finally dried up and the intent to write songs with the emotional distress he'd felt an uncontrollable urge. He'd left behind his sweater, the fabric now draped over Tommy, the sleeves far too long and the loose fit showing just how much weight he'd lost.

Techno had stayed in the living room, flicking on an old Disney movie he knew Tommy enjoyed and laid down on the sofa. Tommy's erratic behaviour once he saw his older brother calmed when Techno gestured for him to join him. 

When Tommy hesitantly curled into his side, Techno's heart soared. He carefully pulled the boy closer, gangly limbs laying on top of Techno's where he had them propped on the sofa. Techno tucked his head above Tommy's, whispering apologies and promises, heart breaking more and more with every passing second as he thought of how much he'd messed up. 

Tommy tensed for a moment, as though considering something, before he wrapped his arms around Techno's chest and pulled him close. Tommy's form was sharper and more angled than it had been before he left, but the hug was familiar enough that Techno calmed before he descended into desperate panic. 

Tommy's voice sounded muffled, his face buried in the crook of Techno's neck, "Already forgiven Techie, it's not your fault or anyone's."

"I love you Toms, we all love you so much." Techno's voice was barely above a whisper, the boredom he usually contained in his tone gone and replaced by desperation. Techno pulled back a little and shifted so they were both able to see the movie playing on screen. He ran his fingers through Tommy's hair like the younger boy usually did for him, the strands longer than he usually let them grow. Techno managed to braid a few small areas of them together and Tommy settled completely into his touch, relaxing into the sensation. 

Techno could see Tommy fidgeting with the toy as he lay down, hands restlessly moving to rotate the curved pieces of plastic to organise them even as he slipped into slumber. He had probably missed the comfort of having his fidget toys around, Techno had even avoided his own due to the memories of Tommy gifting him them for their first Christmas together.

Tommy sounded beyond exhausted when he spoke, eyes closing slowly, peaceful after the events of the past few weeks, "Love you too." 

Techno fell asleep beside his brother soon after, the television still playing when Wilbur came down in a panic to ensure Tommy was still there after seeing his empty room. The musically inclined boy grinned at the sight of the two brothers, pulling a blanket from the back of the other sofa and laying down in the blissfully quiet room, falling asleep alongside his brothers, comforted by the sound of Tommy's breaths and the music of the end credits of the movie. 

(When Phil came downstairs the next morning, he smiled at the sight of his boys and snapped a Polaroid photo using the camera that rested on the shelf. They were a mess, Wilbur's blanket wrapped dangerously around his neck, Techno falling off the edge of the sofa and Tommy clinging to him so tightly that he would be taken down too. They were a mess, but regardless they were his family, and with hope in his heart, Phil knew they'd be okay.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE SUPPORT ON THE LAST PART HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY UNREAL WOW, THANK YOU SO MUCH
> 
> it has been so fun writing this, i've really enjoyed this au and will most likely be writing more for it in the future. also i'm currently writing a tommy-centric highschool au so be on the lookout for that (IT'S GOING TO BE SO ANGST FILLED)
> 
> thank you so much again and do not hesitate to leave comments if you enjoyed, i appreciate them more than you could know <3333

**Author's Note:**

> I'M NEARLY FINISHED WRITING CHAPTER TWO AND I'M SO PSYCHED FOR THIS, IT'S BEEN IN MY GOOGLE DOCS FOR TWO WEEKS NOW AND I'VE FINALLY KIND OF EDITED IT SO HERE IT IS. COMMENT DOWN BELOW YOUR OPINIONS AND LEAVE KUDOS IF YOU ENJOYED, THANK YOU FOR READING <3333


End file.
